The present invention relates to a camber setting apparatus of a strut type suspension of a motor vehicle.
As a suspension of the motor vehicle, the strut type suspension has been widely used. In the strut type suspension, a strut used as the shock absorber shaft, is connected at its lower end to a steering knuckle through a connecting bracket, the steering knuckle extending from a corresponding wheel hub. In the strut type suspension, the camber angle may not be set to a predetermined value because of assembly errors and can change due to deformation of components thereof. These cause tires to be nonuniformly worn away and deteriorate operability and riding comfort of the vehicle.
To overcome this problem there have been proposed various strut type suspensions capable of adjusting camber angle, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,308 and Japanese Utility Model (examined) Publication No. 60 (1985)-17,409. In each of these strut type suspensions, a camber setting mechanism is connected to the strut and the steering knuckle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,308 discloses a camber setting mechanism, in which a steering knuckle is connected to a U-shaped bracket by vertically spaced adjusting and pivot bolts, and the bracket is secured to a strut. The adjusting bolt has a pair of eccentric discs fitted around the shank thereof. The eccentric discs are fitted in recesses formed in the bracket and the adjusting bolt slidably passes through guide slots which are formed through the bracket in a camber angle adjusting direction. The eccentric discs must be exactly angularly positioned to provide a predetermined camber. When the adjusting bolt is loosened, the eccentric discs freely rotates and hence the upper end of the steering knuckle may be turned about an axis of the pivot bolt, thus causing a change in camber angle.
In Japanese Utility Model (examined) Publication No. 60 (1985)-17,409, the camber setting mechanism also includes vertically spaced adjusting and pivot bolts which pass through both a bracket and an upper end portion of a steering knuckle. The adjusting bolt has an eccentric disk-shaped adjusting piece fitted around it, and the adjusting piece is fitted in a hole of the steering knuckle. The adjusting piece has a lever integrally formed with it, and the adjusting piece is turned about an axis of the adjusting bolt by moving the lever, so that the upper end portion of the steering knuckle is swung about the axis of the pivot bolt for adjusting the camber angle. The camber setting mechanism is rather complicated in structure and is hence costly. Moreover, to adjust the camber angle, the lever must be turned to a position after the adjusting bolt is loosened, and then the bolt must be tightened with the adjusting piece held at the position. The camber adjusting operation is laborious.